Line placing apparatus and method

This application is a continuation-in-part of prior application Ser. No. 08/796,053, filed Feb. 7, 1997, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,156.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to devices for placing lines into spaces which are normally difficult to reach. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device for placing pull lines into areas which are normally difficult to reach and for connecting pull lines through travellers to working lines which are thereafter pulled into the spaces, and to the traveller which guides the connected pull and work lines over obstructions to reduce snagging.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Strong, elongate work lines, such as ropes, cords, and the like, are commonly used for work purposes in a wide range of applications in various industries and work environments, including tree service industry, rigging, and rescue. Work ropes are often used in the tree service industry for moving tree servicers into areas of trees, for moving saws and tools into upper portions of trees, and for holding branches being removed from trees. Riggers use ropes to pass tools and equipment from one location to another. Search and rescue operations use ropes to pull persons to safety, for example, from a car in a flooded stream. These are but a few examples of situations requiring the use of work ropes, and further illustrate the need to place work ropes in to difficult-to-reach spaces.

The tree service industry particularly requires the placing of lines into remote areas of trees that are difficult-to-reach. The problems faced by persons in this industry for placing lines into remote areas have similarities with the placing of lines into difficult-to-reach spaces in other industrial applications. Generally, the tree service industry provides maintenance and control services of trees, including pruning of branches, removal of nuisance and dead branches, and removal of trees. Often this work requires workers to be located in the upper portions of trees in order to reach the branches to be cut away. For safety and handling purposes, work ropes (referred to herein as lines), are secured to the tree. Workers connect to the lines through repelling devices known as carabineer. The workers thereby are suspended and can swing from one part of the tree to another or move vertically on the line to reach other parts of the tree. Lines secured to the upper portions of trees also are used to support branches cut from the tree. These lines permit the cut branches to be lowered in a controlled manner to the ground.

Gaining access to upper portions of trees for the purpose of securing lines for tree workers and supporting branches is difficult and dangerous work. Typically, a tree climber free-climbs the trunk and branches to the upper portion of the tree. By this is meant that the tree climber is not secured with a safety line to hold the tree climber in the event of a fall. Such work is dangerous. The tree climber typically carries at least the end of a rope that feeds from a coil on the ground. The tree climber secures an end portion thereof to the upper portion of the tree. The tree climber and other workers may then repel to and from the tree on the line for placing other lines as necessary and for performing work on the tree.

Once a climber has reached an upper portion of a tree, other lines can be pulled into the tree for use in reaching other parts of the tree, for pulling equipment such as saws into the tree, and for restraining branches being cut from the tree. The ends of the lines are knotted together, or a line to be pulled is knotted at its end to an intermediate portion of a line already in the tree. The second line is then pulled into the tree by the climber pulling on the first line. However, the knots sometimes snag and catch on branches in the tree. Efforts to release the line caught by the branches include loopingly tossing the line outwardly from the branches, pulling the line back to the ground, or by the climber moving through the tree to the snag and releasing it. These efforts are not only time-consuming, but incur some risk of injury as the climber works to release the line.

While ladders may be used to provide initial access into trees, ladders are also dangerous to use due to balance and positioning problems. Ladders also have a limited height. Once the work in the tree is completed, the various lines in the tree must be unsecured from the tree, and the tree climber then repels from the tree to reach the ground.

In other work, ropes are useful tools. During search and rescue operations, rescuers may need to place a rope into a place which is difficult-to-reach, such as into a car in a swollen stream. Also, it may be difficult to throw a line or rope to a boat disabled in rough waters. Riggers may place ropes between buildings to pass tools and materials between work sites. While ropes provide useful tools, the placing of the ropes into these positions for use is often difficult, time-consuming, and impractical.

A device for placing lines into trees was evaluated. It was found that structural features of the device caused the device to experience problems with the reliability of operation in placing lines into remote areas of tall trees. Consequently, repeat efforts were required in order to successfully place a pull line into a tree. Specifically, the device has a slingshot mounted to a tubular handle of a conventional fishing rod to which a spool of fishing line is attached. A significantly elongate pole extended longitudinally from the handle to which the slingshot was mounted. The pole extended to a distal end remote from the spool and terminated in a loop through which the fishing line extended. A weight is connected to the free end of the fishing line. The weight was fired by the slingshot towards the difficult-to-reach area of a tree. In this device however the fishing line would frequently become enwrapped and entangled at the distal end portion of the elongated pole during the initial flight of the line as induced by the slingshot, and thus, repeat firings of the weight and line were required to position a line into the difficult-to-reach area. Once the fishing line was positioned into the remote upper portions of trees, the problem then become placing the work line into the tree. Knots connecting the fishing line and the work line often became caught on branches in the upper portion of the trees. Dislodging the knot was difficult from the ground. This would necessarily delay the tree service work and sometimes required free climbing the tree to dislodge the knot.

Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for an improved apparatus for placing work lines into spaces which are normally difficult-to-reach for the purpose of placing work lines. It is to the provision of such that the present invention is directed.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention solves the need in the art by providing an improved line placing device for placing work lines into remote, difficult-to-reach spaces. The device comprises a hand-gripped slingshot attached to a handle with a spool of a thin pull line, such as a fishing line, attached to the handle. The spool is selectively positioned for freely releasing the pull line from the spool and for retrieving the pull line onto the spool. The handle has a locally terminated distal end with an eye at the distal end local to the spool, and the pull line passes therethrough, with a weight attached to a distal end of the line. The weight is fired by the slingshot towards the difficult-to-reach area and thereby carries the pull line to the area. A work line, being attached through a connector to the pull line, is thereafter pulled to the difficult-to-reach area.

In one aspect of the invention, the connector defines a conical traveller or housing having a tapered end and a wide end encloses the engagement of the work line for guiding travel of the work line to the difficult-to-reach spaces. An elongate wire loop twisted at a junction defines a small loop that extends outwardly from the narrowed end of the conical housing and a larger opposing loop. The small loop engages the pull line from the rewindable supply after the pull line is communicated through an upper portion of a tree. The larger loop engages a work line within the housing. The work line, being connected to the second loop and enclosed within the housing, is thereby shielded by the conical housing from being caught by branches in a tree as the pull line is rewound into the supply and thereby pulling the work line into the upper portions of the tree for placing the line therein.

Objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description of the disclosed embodiment of the present invention, in conjunction with the appended drawings and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1

is a perspective view of a line placing device made in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2

is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a line placing device in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3

is a perspective view of the line placing device shown in

FIG. 1

being used for placing a line in a tree.

FIG. 4

is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a traveller useful with the line placing device of the present invention.

FIG. 5

is an exploded side view of an alternate embodiment of the traveller useful with the line placing device of the present invention.

FIG. 6

is a side partially cut-away view of the alternate embodiment of the traveller illustrated in FIG.

5

.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now in more detail to the drawings in which like parts have like identifiers,

FIG. 1

is a perspective view of an embodiment of a traveler

10

made in accordance with the present invention for connecting a work line to be pulled by an attached pull line, for example through an upper portion of a tree. Preferably the pull line is a light weight, narrow diameter line such as fishing line. The traveller

10

comprises a first conical elongate housing

12

having a narrowed end

14

and a wide end

16

. An elongate wire

18

extends along a longitudinal axis of the first conical housing

12

. The wire

18

defines a small loop

20

that extends outwardly from a forward tip

22

at the narrowed end

14

of the housing

12

, for a purpose discussed below. The wire

18

further defines a large loop

24

at a second end. A second conical elongate housing

26

having a narrowed end

28

and an wide end

30

is slidably received on the wire

18

intermediate the first loop

20

and the second loop

24

. The second conical housing

26

is selectively movable along the elongate wire

18

between a first position slidably received within the first conical housing

12

and thereby exposing the second loop

24

(as illustrated in

FIG. 1

) outwardly of the second conical housing and a second position for enclosing the second loop

24

within the wide end portion of the second conical housing. The small loop

20

connects to a pull line

32

and the large loop

24

connects to a work line

36

, for placing the work line into an remote difficult-to-reach space; for example, into an upper portion of a tree, as discussed below. In a preferred embodiment, the pull line is a fishing line supplied from a spool, as discussed below.

FIG. 1

illustrates an embodiment of a line-placing device

40

for placing the pull line

32

into an upper portion of a tree, as discussed below. The traveller

10

is used with a line-placing device

40

which generally comprises a projectile delivery and retrieval apparatus. As illustrated in

FIG. 1

, and generally designated “A”, the pull line

32

is first attached to the projectile (typically a weight

72

) which is fired into the upper portions of a tree and subsequently retrieved. The weight

72

is removed and the work line

36

connected through the traveller

10

to the pull line

32

, as also illustrated in FIG.

1

and generally designated “B”. The line-placing device

40

comprises a slingshot frame

42

having a pair of arms

44

extending from a hand grip

46

. An elastic band

48

attaches to each of the arms

44

. A pocket

50

connects to the distal ends

52

of the bands

48

.

In the illustrated embodiment, an arm brace

54

extends laterally from the hand grip

46

. The arm brace

54

comprises two parallel members

56

which slidingly receive a pad

58

disposed between the members. The hand grip

46

connects to a butt-end portion

59

of a handle member

60

which extends from the hand grip

46

longitudinally in a direction opposite of the arm brace

54

and terminates in a local distal end. The member

60

includes at least one eyelet

62

at a distal end of the member. A conventional fishing reel

64

with a rewind handle

66

attaches to the handle portion of the member

60

and includes a spool of a supply of the pull line

32

.

As illustrated, the reel

64

for the pull line

32

is disposed laterally of the handle member

60

at an oblique angle

67

relative to a plane

68

defined by a longitudinal axis of the handle member and a center line of the sling shot handle

46

. A free end

70

of the line

32

extends through the eyelet

62

, which is distally local to the spool. A weight is selectively attachable to the free end

70

of the line

32

. As discussed below, the free end

70

is also selectively connected to the small loop

20

of the traveller

10

for communicating the work line

36

into a difficult-to-reach space, such as into and through an upper portion of a tree.

FIG. 2

illustrates a perspective view of an alternate embodiment

80

of the traveller

10

. In this alternate embodiment, the traveller

80

comprises a single conical housing

82

having a narrow end

84

and a wide end

86

. A first engaging member

88

extends outwardly at the narrow end

84

for being connected to the free end

70

of the pull line

32

which extends from the rewindable spool of the fishing reel

64

. A second engaging member

90

extends outwardly at the wider end

86

of the conical housing

82

for being connected to the free end of the work line

36

. In the illustrated embodiment, the first engaging member

84

and the second engaging member

90

are defined by loops formed in a metal wire

92

which is disposed within the traveller

80

. The metal wire

92

is secured within the housing

82

by a solidified media, such as an adhesive, epoxy, crimping device, or the like.

FIG. 4

illustrates a perspective view of a second alternate embodiment

120

of the traveller

10

. In this alternate embodiment, the traveller

120

comprises a single elongate, conical housing

122

having a narrow end

124

that defines an opening

126

therein and a wide end

127

defining an opening

128

. The free end

70

of the pull line

32

extends through the opening

126

, the interior of the housing

122

, and through the opening

128

. The free end

70

connects to a clip

130

or other coupler device, such as a snap clip used commonly with fishing lines for connecting weights, lures, and bobbers. The work line

36

engages the clip

130

by being tied with knot

132

thereto. After the work line

36

is secured to the pull line

32

, the engagement thereof is covered by sliding the housing

122

longitudinally over the engagement, whereby the pull line

32

and the work line

36

are connected together and the engagement thereof are enclosed by the traveller which guides the travel of the engaged lines over obstacles, such as branches in trees, for placing the work line into a difficult-to-reach place in a tree.

The elongated housings

12

,

26

,

120

of embodiments of the traveller

10

can be manufactured by molding with a plastic material. The traveller

10

is assembled by inserting the wire

18

through the narrow end

14

and securing the small loop

20

thereto. The second housing

36

is slidingly received on the wire

18

, and the larger loop

24

formed in the wire. The alternate embodiment of the traveller

80

likewise is formed in a mold with a plastic material. Embodiments can be made wherein the wider end

86

has diameter sufficient to accommodate lines of different diameters. For example, a series of embodiments of the traveller

80

can be made wherein the wider end of the travellers in the series have incrementally larger diameters; i.e., of ½ inch, ⅝ inch, ¾ inch, and so forth.

With reference to

FIG. 3

, the travellers of the present invention are operated to connect the pull line

32

with the work line

36

and to guide the movement of the work line

36

into and through the upper portions of a tree

102

, for placing the work line therein. A tree climber

100

stands near a tree

102

for which tree work is to be done in an upper portion

103

. The tree climber

100

holds the line placing device

40

by inserting one hand and a portion of his arm between the members

56

and gripping the hand grip

46

. The pad

58

covers the forearm of the tree climber

100

to cushion and support the slingshot line placing device

40

.

A weight (not illustrated) such as a fishing line weight is attached to the free end

70

of the pull line

32

. The weight defines a projectile which is fired by the slingshot into the upper portions of the tree. This is accomplished by placing the weight within the pocket

50

. The tension on the spool of line in the fishing reel

64

is released. The pocket

50

with the weight is grasped with the free hand of the tree climber

100

. The pocket

50

is pulled rearwardly, thereby stretching the elastic bands

48

relative the grip

46

. The climber

100

aims the line placing device towards the upper portion

103

of the tree

102

. The pocket

50

is suddenly released, and the elastic bands

48

pull the pocket

50

forwardly rapidly. The weight attached to the free end

70

of the line

32

is propelled forwardly from the line-placing device

40

towards the upper portion

103

of the tree

102

. The weight carries the pull line, freely unwinding from the spool

64

, through the locally disposed eyelet

62

, and through the upper portions

103

of the tree

102

. The weight causes the pull line

32

to move downwardly to the ground. An alternate embodiment of the line-placing device uses compressed gas to fire the weight as a projectile from the device into the upper portions of the tree. In this embodiment (not illustrated), a gun-like apparatus includes the reel

64

with the spool of fishing line. The projectile weight pulls the fishing line from the spool into the tree. In yet another alternate embodiment, the line-placing device includes an explosiveefired projectile to which the pull line is secured for delivering the pull line to places normally difficult-to-reach with a rope.

The tree-climber

100

then detaches the weight from the free end

70

of the pull line

32

. The traveller

10

of the present invention is then attached to the pull line

32

by connecting the free end

70

to the loop

20

. The pull line

32

may be tied to the loop

20

or attached with a connecter (not illustrated). The work line

36

is then attached to the traveller

10

. First, the second housing

26

is moved to the forward position relative to the first housing

12

, whereby the loop

24

is exposed outwardly of the second housing. The work line

36

is tied to the loop

24

. The second housing

26

is then moved to the rearward position relative the first housing

12

, whereby the loop

24

is enclosingly received within the second housing. The second housing

26

, while in the second position, is at least partially received within the first housing

12

. The second housing

26

accordingly defines a smooth, tapered exterior for the knotted connection between the traveller

10

and the work line

36

.

The climber

100

then rotates the handle

66

of the fishing reel

64

in order to rewind the pull line

32

on to the spool of line within the fishing reel. This causes the traveller

10

to move upwardly towards the upper portion

103

of the tree

102

. The traveller

10

guides the connection between the pull line

32

and the work line

36

over branches of the tree. The tapered exterior surface of the traveller defines a narrowed portion which first contacts branches of the tree

102

. The tapered exterior of the traveller

10

facilitates passage of the traveller across the branches of the tree

102

in order to reduce snags. The climber

100

continues to rewind the pull line

32

into the spool until the traveller

10

moves downwardly out of the tree to the ground near the climber. This pulls the work line

36

through the upper portion

103

of the tree

102

. Once the traveller

10

is grounded, the traveller is disconnected from the work line

36

. The work line

36

is then used by the climber for gaining access to the upper portion

103

of the tree for performing tree service work.

The present invention accordingly provides a device

40

for placing work lines

36

into difficult-to-reach spaces and a traveller

10

in various embodiments for connecting the pull line

32

to the work line

36

for placing the work line into difficult-to-reach spaces; for example as discussed herein, into the upper portions of trees for tree service work, wherein the placing device

40

fires a projectile or weight

72

with the pull line

32

attached thereto into the tree. The weight

72

thereafter falls to the ground and thereby pulls the pull line down to the ground. The traveller

10

connects the pull line

32

and the work line

36

together. The tapered exterior of the traveller

10

shields the engaged connection of the work line

36

to the pull line

32

through the traveller. The traveller guides passage of the work line through the tree as the pull line

32

is rewound into the supply spool and thereby pulling the work line

36

through the upper portions of the tree for placing the work line therein.

FIG. 5

is an exploded side view of an alternate embodiment of a traveller

150

comprising an elongate conical housing

152

having a narrow end

154

that defines a first opening

156

and a wide end

158

defining a second opening

160

. A connector

162

is defined by an elongate wire loop twisted at a junction

164

to define a first loop

166

and a second opposing loop

168

. The first loop

166

is sized for passing through the opening

156

of the traveller

152

. A free end of the work line

36

extends through the second loop

168

and is secured with a knot

170

. The free end

70

of the pull line

32

connects to the fishing clip

130

or other coupler device, such as a snap clip used commonly with fishing lines for connecting weights, lures, and bobbers.

FIG. 6

illustrates the assembled traveller

152

for guiding the work line

36

through tree branches. The work line

36

is pre-attached to the traveller

152

. The connector

162

passes through the open end

160

and the first loop

166

extends through the opening

156

forwardly of the traveller

152

. The open tapered distal end portion

158

of the traveller

152

shelters the knot

170

securing the work line

36

to the connector

162

. After the pull line

32

is placed in the tree and the weight detached from the pull line, the traveller

152

is attached to the pull line. The snap clip

130

engages the pull line

32

to the first loop

166

forwardly of the traveller

152

. After the pull line

32

and the work line

36

are secured to the connector

162

, the pull line

132

is then retrieved through the branches of the tree. The traveller

152

encloses the engagement of the work line

36

, which housing guides the travel of the engaged work line over obstacles, such as branches of trees, for placing the work line into a difficult-to-reach place in a tree.

It is to be appreciated from the disclosure herein of the preferred embodiments of a device for placing lines into places which are difficult normally to reach with a line with reduced entangling of the line on a distally remote end of the device and that the present invention is gainfully employed in industries and applications other than tree service. For example, the line placing device of the present invention is gainfully used in rescue operations, rigging activities, and the like. For example, the line placing device accurately places the weight with the pull line to a car in a swollen stream. The traveller is readily connected to an intermediate portion of the pull line. The persons to be rescued thereafter pull the work line, connected to the pull line by the traveller, to themselves. It is noted that for visual assistance, the weight

72

and the pull line

32

can be phosphorescent. Similarly, the device and traveller are gainfully used by riggers for positioning a rope or work line to a remote place for transfer of tools and equipment. Accordingly, the present invention is readily used in a range of industries and applications in which ropes (or lines) function as useful tools.

The principles, preferred embodiments and modes of operation of the present invention have been described in the foregoing specification. The invention is not to be construed as limited to the particular forms disclosed because these are regarded as illustrative, rather than restrictive. Moreover, variations and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as described by the following claims.